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Tap Water Delivers in Connecticut Statement by Beth Bye, Connecticut Legislator - February 20, 2008 Connecticut enjoys some of the best tap water in the United States. Strong environmental laws and regulations protect our watershed, and make drinking water safe and accessible. Yet each day, when legislators and staff at the Capitol and Legislative Office Building want a drink of water, many turn to the Poland Spring water dispensers. Others may purchase their own bottle at the cafeteria for more a dollar for 12 ounces – or about six dollars a gallon – twice the cost of a gallon of gasoline. The water in coolers at the Capitol and LOB is trucked in from Maine and costs Connecticut taxpayers $11,600 a year. When you look at all agencies, we spend nearly $500,000 a year for bottled water and water dispensers. Simultaneously, Connecticut taxpayers are kicking in $4 million annually to make sure local water supplies are safe and clean. The federal government chips in $8 million as well. Taxpayers fund clean-water initiatives to preserve our top-notch public tap water, and then are asked to purchase water from a private company. And bottled water is subject to less stringent government water quality regulations. Trucking in water 200 miles on an ongoing basis isn’t good for our environment. The trucks emit greenhouse gases. Manufacturing water bottles consumes a great deal of energy. The bottled water industry uses over 17 million barrels of oil a year to manufacture and deliver water bottles. Water bottles take a thousand years to decompose. In Connecticut alone last year, 340 million plastic were not recycled and ended up being incinerated or in landfills as 80 % were not recycled. Governor Rell has launched an initiative called “one thing”. She asks government, businesses and residents to do one thing to help the environment, making the case that “One Things” add up to thousands of things that save money, reduce energy consumption and protect our earth. Not buying private water is “one thing” that the Governor and legislative management can accomplish. It requires no legislation, just a change in purchasing practices and well deserved confidence in our public water system. The State of Illinois stopped purchasing private water with state dollars this past November. Connecticut’s own Department of Environmental Protection made an environmentally based decision to switch to tap water. They replaced water coolers with filtered tap water dispensers that hook right into the plumbing. We could do that in this building or existing fountains can be equipped with spouts that make it easy to fill a cup or a reusable bottle. Additional fountains to make tap water more accessible to the public as well. This move would save significant taxpayer dollars. Using tap water would reduce the State’s environmental impact and remind residents and businesses about our safe public water system, which delivers water right through the pipes for pennies. We have been investing in this delivery system since the mid 1800’s. It might even have a trickle-down affect, showing Connecticut residents and businesses that bottled water – with its high price and significant environmental cost – is a convenience that we can no longer afford.
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